Friday, December 09, 2016

More staff changes at Lambeth Palace

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin
Welby, has announced the imminent arrival of two new senior staff
members at Lambeth Palace.

The Revd Dr Will Adam is to be the
Archbishop’s ecumenical adviser while Ruth Mawhinney is to become the
new head of media relations.

Veteran journalist Jonathan Petre had previously been announced as the new head of media relations, but withdrew his acceptance of the post and will remain as religion correspondent with the Mail on Sunday.Dr Adam’s new role is a combined post: he will also serve as the
ecumenical officer for the Church of England’s Council of Christian
Unity (CCU).

“I am delighted that Will Adam will be bringing his considerable
experience and expertise to this post,” Archbishop Justin said. “His
understanding of both national and international ecumenism will be a
real asset to the work at Lambeth and at CCU. There are wonderful
opportunities in ecumenism in these times, and we must always strive to
be obedient to Jesus’ desire that his Church ‘may be one.’”

Speaking of Ruth Mawhinney’s appointment, the archbishop said: “I am
delighted that Ruth will be joining our communications team at Lambeth
Palace. As an experienced journalist and practicing Christian, she will
understand the unique and guiding role that faith can play in both
personal and professional life.”

Dr Adam has extensive ecumenical experience. He was a Church of
England member of the Joint Implementation Group – a co-ordinating body
set up under the Anglican-Methodist Covenant; and a delegate to the
World Council of Churches’ Assembly in Harare. He has previously worked
as a diocesan ecumenical officer with responsibility for links between
the diocese and a church of the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland – the
Evangelical Church of Germany – which is linked with the Church of
England through the Meissen Agreement. He is a member of the
International Colloquium of Anglican and Roman Catholic Canon Lawyers
and chair of his local Churches Together ecumenical group.

“I am delighted to be taking up this post,” Dr Adam said. “My
commitment to the reconciliation of Christ's church goes back to my
early student days. I am looking forward to supporting the Archbishop
and the wider Church of England in ecumenical mission and ministry in
the coming years.”

Ruth Mawhinney is currently the editor of the online news site Christian Today. She began her journalistic career on the Baptist Times before becoming deputy editor and then editor of Christianity magazine.

“I’m thrilled to be taking up this role and joining the excellent
team at Lambeth Palace,” she said. “In this time of global uncertainty I
believe Archbishop Justin Welby provides a much-needed voice of hope
and reason. I'm also looking forward to using the skills gained in my
years as a journalist and editor to help the archbishop communicate his
three priorities of evangelism, prayer and reconciliation.”